Did you know that one in three women around the world don't have access to decent toilets? That's 1.1 billion women and girls who risk poor health, harassment – even attack – when waiting until nighttime to seek a private space to relieve themselves. Can you imagine being on your period, having diarrhoea or just, you know, going for a wee without four walls around you? When carrying out a basic human function risks the safety (and dignity) of so many women, it's a feminist issue.

Out of Order is a multimedia exhibition exploring the impact this has on women globally. Charity WaterAid has collaborated with artists from the UK and Sierra Leone (where 85% of women are affected) to create works responding to the crisis.

Through graphic colours, abstract drawings and moving storyboards, the artists raise awareness of WaterAid's campaign in Tombohuaun, Sierra Leone, which aims to raise £4 million to bring clean water, decent toilets and good hygiene to women across the world.

Ahead, we speak to five of the artists who created works for Out of Order about their craft, their creative process, and what they learned from the campaign.

Out of Order is at the Old Truman Brewery in east London from Thursday 16th – Sunday 19th November, 11am-7pm. The exhibition is free but donations from visitors will be warmly welcomed. Any money donated by the UK public to WaterAid's Untapped appeal before 31st January 2018 will be doubled by the UK government, meaning that WaterAid can continue to help even more people and improve toilet conditions for women all over the world.

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When someone touches your hair without permission, feels happen — and not just the physical kind. It's uncomfortable. Unwarranted. Rude. Weird. Demeaning. Scary. It's easy for people to ask "what's the big deal" about the whole ordeal when they haven't experienced it themselves... and no matter how hard you try to explain why grabbing a fistful of a Black man or woman's 'fro is so wrong, there are people out there who still just don't get it. Momo Pixel, the art director of Wieden+Kennedy advertising agency, is breaking it down for the baffled masses with Hair Nah!, a travel game with a retro look and a message that needs to be heard right this second.

In the game, character Aeva's objective is to pass through four levels (her apartment lobby, the cab, airport security, and the plane) to reach one of three destinations where her girlfriends await her. If this seems anticlimactic to you, then you try getting through TSA checkpoint without getting your curls ruffled by an officer at least once. "Everything in the game is based on truth," Pixel tells Refinery29.

Clearly, there are plenty of people who relate: Her tweet about Hair Nah! has been shared by Shonda Rhimes, DeRay Mckesson, Jenna Wortham, and more. And, as of now, over 60,000 people have logged on to play it. "From Black woman to Black woman, our experiences are universal," Pixel says. "And Black women as a whole are my inspiration." Ahead, the creator speaks on the message, the response, and — of course — the hairstyles in the game.

Regarding the name, what does "nah" mean to you? And how is it different than "no?"

"It's one of my favourite words. It can mean multiple things, depending on my tone. I just use it to really put my foot down and protect my space. So Hair Nah! made sense because I would say 'nah' before I say 'no.'"

Who is Aeva modelled after?

" So many Black women. Twitter users I've seen, Meagan Good, Nia Long, Teyana Taylor — and then a little Solange, who was the first person to put a voice to this. Ultimately, Aeva looks like any Black girl you could know."

Why did you choose those hairstyles and skin tone options? There's so much variety.

"Sounds silly, but when I was thinking of various hairstyles, I kept imagining which styles Twitter would clown me on, and which they would be hype about. There's one style that's made to look like Maxine Waters. One to look like ya auntie. One that looks like Meagan Good. One is the big chop. And then there are ones that are classic to us, like Bantu knots and the Afro. I mean, you can go through them and just get your life."

Who are the invaders? The hands in the game are white.

"Yeah. It's always white people."

Have any people who've invaded your space in the past reached out with a response to the game?

"People have apologised, which is great. I kind of feel bad that I had to make a whole game for them to realise how bad it is to do that, though."

How do you stop people from touching your hair when they try in real life?

"I'm still hesitant to speak out. When it happens, you're in shock, and then you don't say what you want to say. Now I'm conscious, and I try to speak out more. But as Black women, we're taught that we have to be respectful, assimilate, and be quiet."

In a perfect world, what would your reaction be if you had no hesitations?

"No. Nah. Bye. Or just be able to just walk away."

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Olivia Munn says she will not forget how quickly Hollywood moved on from her accusation that Brett Ratner sexually harassed her.

Munn was one of six women who came forward in November 2017, accusing director Brett Ratner of sexual harassment and assault.

Munn told her story on the record, and as a result, Warner Bros. announced that they would not be renewing their production contract with Ratner. Gal Gadot supported Warner Bros. decision, saying on the Today show that her opinion of Ratner was shared by many. That, however, is not the whole story.

Even though Ratner's production contract will not be renewed, the $450 million co-financing deal with his film investment company, RatPac-Dune Entertainment, remains intact. It is unclear whether this contract will be renewed. As of right now, Ratner is still in business with Warner Bros. despite being let go from one job he did for them.

In an interview with the Los Angeles Times, Munn made it clear that was not enough saying, "I want Warner Bros. to sever all ties and relationships with Brett Ratner."

Munn isn't sure Hollywood is changing for the better. "If you ask me, now, do I feel good? Do I feel like I have justice? No," she said. "I'm thankful that we're in this moment where our voices actually matter. But I don’t feel like there’s actually an awakening of consciousness in Hollywood. There’s an understanding that there will be backlash in the marketplace and to their bottom line if they don’t make these big announcements. They aren't woke; they're scared."

She didn't want to be known as someone seeking attention and publicity which is the devastating assumption made when women are insistent about their experience, saying to the Los Angeles Times, "it felt like I had to bury it and just be okay with everything."

Munn goes on to recount a heartbreaking moment she had when discussing a potential role with her friend, the producer Brian Grazer. When Munn asked Grazer why he would work with him on another film, he responded, "Oh, that’s right. You used to date Brett, right?" It devastated Munn. Even though she made her story public, Grazer only remembered the lie Ratner had told. He said he would "try" not to work with Ratner in the future.

"There seems to be a formula for redemption: apologise, put your head down, remove yourself from the public eye, come back up after enough time has passed, align yourself with the people that you've wronged and then resume your place back in line exactly where you were kicked out," said Munn.

Munn asserts that powerful men are allowed a formula for redemption. After a public apology, they retreat from the public eye before coming back unscathed. She voices the worry that many women have with the recent onslaught of sexual harassment and assault claims. Is the systemic problem actually being fixed or are just a few of the worst offenders being taken down while the rest continue? Will it have actually have a lasting effect?

She believes that what is happening now is not addressing the larger issue, likening it to pruning the wild branches from a tree, saying "the disease still remains in the tree."

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Self-care is simple; it's about knowing what's good for you and using that information to nourish and tend to your mental health. With no guilt.

One of the toughest days for many people is Sunday. Sure it starts off well; there's brunch, walks in the park, a roast in the pub. But as the day goes on, the pressure of the following week starts to loom. How will I get through the next five days? we worry. How can I possibly manage to do everything I promised myself I'd do?

In times like this, it's important to manage expectations. To remind yourself to be kind to yourself. You're only human, give yourself a damn break.

Most people, without realising, will have crafted some sort of self-care Sunday routine to help alleviate the anxiety of the coming week. Remember, self-care routines can be as trivial as you like; if watching Keeping Up With The Kardashians is your way of getting your mind to finally be still, then so be it. Each to their own.

We asked team Refinery what they do on a Sunday to nourish themselves. Click through to read if you're after some inspiration.

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Around 4-10% of people from most ethnic minority groups say they have experienced racial harassment in England during the last year, according to a new study.

The proportion of people reporting racial harassment rises to 15% among Chinese women and men, the study by the Institute for Social and Economic Research at the University of Essex found.

Other ethnic minority groups more likely to report experiencing racial harassment include Pakistani men, Indian-Sikh men, Indian-Muslim men, and Bangladeshi women.

People from ethnic minority groups are most likely to experience racial harassment in the streets, shops and public transport, particularly in areas where there isn't a high proportion of people from the same ethnic group as them.

According to the study, men from most ethnic minority groups are more likely to report experiencing racial harassment than women. The authors attribute this to the fact that men in many ethnic minority groups are more likely to have a job than women, and therefore spend more time in public places.

However, women from most ethnic minority groups are more likely to feel unsafe in certain situations and avoid places because of the fear of racial harassment.

Since a similar study in 1993, the proportion of people reporting racial harassment has dropped around 2-4% among most ethnic minority groups.

The study confirmed, too, that racial harassment – and the fear of experiencing it – can have a negative impact on mental health. “Our study has found that harassment is experienced by the broad population of ethnic minorities, and damages mental health, even among those who do not directly experience it,” the study's co-author Dr Renee Luthra told The Observer.

Her co-author Dr Alita Nandi added: "We hope this evidence will be taken up by law enforcement in identifying high-risk places and making public spaces accessible to all, and by mental health professionals by considering ethnic and racial harassment as an additional factor in mental health issues experienced by ethnic minorities in Britain."

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A survey of hotel and casino workers in Chicago revealed alarming statistics about sexual harassment in the workplace. With over half of those surveyed reporting experiencing harassment, unions are looking for ways to make workers feel safe.

“Frankly, I don’t think much of the public understands what housekeepers go through just to clean these rooms and carry out the work,” Maria Elena Durazo told HuffPost. Durazo is a labour leader at Unite Here, the hospitality union that conducted the survey.

The power dynamics of the situation are multiplied by the fact that many of the workers are women in low-paying jobs. They do not want to, and often can't afford to, risk their income in an industry where "the customer is always right."

"We have to do something to equalize the power so that women really have the ability to speak up, without having to risk their livelihood," Durazo said. "That goes for whether you’re a housekeeper or a food server or a big-time actor."

Lydia Polgreen, Editor in Chief at HuffPost, shared the statistics in a tweet. The numbers speak for themselves.

'He Was Masturbating… I Felt Like Crying': With all the focus on abuse in high profile industries, sexual predation among the most exposed and powerless workers, like hotel maids, gets overlooked. By @jamieson. https://t.co/3EVgPKtYAP pic.twitter.com/DGyydKckmD

— Lydia Polgreen (@lpolgreen) November 18, 2017

Aided by these alarming statistics, the "Hands Off, Pants On " ordinance was passed in Chicago for both union and non-union workers in hotels citywide. The first piece of legislation of its kind in the United States, it mandates that housekeepers be given handheld, wireless panic buttons so they can alert hotel security when they feel threatened. Other cities are trying to pass ordinances of their own, but some are being met with resistance from local government. In Long Beach, CA, a similar request for panic buttons was made and narrowly rejected by the local chamber of commerce due to the estimated $3 million (£2.25 million) collective cost to hotels.

Many people took to Twitter to express their support and share stories of their own from working in the industry. One person recounted an experience they had where a panic button and better support system for reporting harassment would have been helpful.

First jobs after HS was working as a hotel maid. I had to clean rooms with men who would not leave. They would harass me. I would make them keep the door open, they complained. One tried to assault me. Boss yelled at me for filing complaint with cops, I was to tolerate it, I quit

— Queen of the Geeks👑 (@K2togetherSSK) November 19, 2017

I'm in the housekeeping industry & this is scary.Im grateful my boss has a policy that our clients have to be gone while we work https://t.co/C63asR2E7o

— Alexandriatheartist (@AlexandriaaArts) November 18, 2017

For every high profile woman finding courage to disclose, there 100s of low wage women who have to keep shitty jobs. https://t.co/kge5nvFzOb

— Andrea Addario (@addarioandrea) November 19, 2017

Want to know how prevalent this is? Managed a 364-room hotel with 84% occupancy, had this happen twice a month on average.

— Tasty Long Pig (@MTango426) November 18, 2017

Many more expressed their shock and disbelief. As more people feel empowered to come forward, pass laws, and name names, the public will learn just how pervasive and far-reaching sexual harassment really is. For every person that reports it, there are so many others who stay silent for a myriad of reasons which is why overarching policies like this are so important.

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After my first job at MTV working as a music programmer, I can't stop trying to matchmake people with music they might like. So, I wrote a book calledRecord Collecting for Girls and started interviewing musicians. The Music Concierge is a column where I share music I'm listening to that you might enjoy, with a little context. Follow me on Twitter or Facebook, or leave me a comment below and tell me what you're listening to this week.

Jesca Hoop "Pegasi"

Hoop's track gave my column this week its name. Lifted from her lyrics, with the spirit of her sparse and lovely guitar in mind, this track is about where I'm at this week. I've got about enough energy for a single instrument accompanied by a single voice and I'm trying to be tenacious. This song reminds me of one from the late 1950s/early 1960s, like something Joan Baez would have written after a protest when she was a bit rung out but still fresh from the experience. It's uplifting, and though her vocals are bell-like and feminine, the weight of her words is heavy.

Charlotte Gainsbourg "Ring-A-Ring O' Roses"

Gainsbourg, the famous-in-her-own-right daughter of Serge, creates a Dadaist poem with this song. In French, she is simply listing the things that happen in life as we transition from teens to adults: first love, first sex, first marriage, first baby. But sprinkled in are bits of darkness, echoing the darkness in that old childhood song "Ring Around the Rosie," which we grew up singing (and, it's real title is "Ring-A-Ring O' Roses"). The repititiveness of it is soothing, as is not quite knowing what she says, if you don't speak French.

Paramore "Fake Happy"

Proving you can be uptempo without releasing a happy song, Paramore are here to flip the script. Hayley Williams' half-hearted dancing in the video paired with shooting it in NYC is a pile on a metaphor for looking below the surface, which actually makes it a pretty good song about depression.

Mavis Staples "We Go High"

Yes, it's from that Michelle Obama speech. Yes, it will make you feel better. Yes, you need this in your life. Staples has been working to create uplifting music since she was in the Staples Singers in the '70s. Safe to say she's an expert at it by now.

Margo Price "A Little Pain"

Keep the establishment, I'll take the country music that's playing left of the dial. Price, whose latest on Jack White's Third Man Records, is the change I want to see in the world of country music. She's got a Dolly Parton-inspired voice and the spirit of an outlaw. This is a great song for putting it all in perspective (and singing along to on your commute).

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Beginning last month, dozens of women have come forward accusing Harvey Weinstein of sexual misconduct ranging from harassment to rape. It began a national conversation about sexual misconduct in the workplace, because women in nearly every industry have shared similar experiences. Now that its prevalence has been publicised, the obvious question is how to prevent future abuses of power.

It certainly helps that men are finally being held accountable: Kevin Spacey was fired from House of Cards, Mark Schwahn has been suspended from The Royals, and NPR editor Michael Oreskes resigned amidst sexual misconduct allegations.

Accountability is a crucial step in the right direction, but it's not enough. Last year, long before the floodgates opened, Joann S. Lublin of The Atlantic wrote that having women in leadership positions is the best way to combat workplace harassment. "In workplaces largely led by men, sexual harassment remains pervasive up and down the corporate hierarchy. It is not likely to disappear until more women move into the management suite," Lublin observed.

Today The Wall Street Journal reported that former Obama official Maria Contreras-Sweet has placed a bid on The Weinstein Company — and her proposal would turn the company's culture on its head and ensure that women and employees aren't exposed to a toxic environment like the one created by Weinstein and members of the company's complicit all-male board.

According to a letter obtained by The Wall Street Journal, Contreras-Sweet would rename the company and appoint a "majority-female board." Weinstein's brother Bob, who is co-chairman, would be shown the door if Contreras-Sweet acquires the company.

Contreras-Sweet said that she's been "profoundly affected by the recent revelations" and "reorganizing the Company as a woman-led venture will be an inspiration to the industry, and a new model for how an entertainment company can be both financially successful and treat all its employees with dignity and respect," as reported by Deadline.

The outlet also notes that Contreras-Sweet wants to work with Weinstein's alleged victims and set up a both a fund and a mediation process to help them.

Because the Weinstein revelations are what ultimately led to exposure of widespread abuse in other industries, it would be incredibly fitting and meaningful for Contreras-Sweet to take it over and put women in leadership roles. (And it would hopefully inspire other companies to follow suit.) Although it's hard to think of anything that would equal complete justice for the alleged victims, a revamp of the company and a chairwoman who wants to help them certainly seems like a measure of much-needed justice and change.

Refinery29 has reached out to Contreras-Sweet for comment.

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As a bisexual woman and rape survivo r, Evan Rachel Wood was understandably traumatised by the results of the 2016 election and she has plenty of company. After the Access Hollywood tape was released, the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network (RAINN) reported a 33% increase in calls to their US helpline. On November 10, Vice reported that crisis hotlines were "flooded" with calls directly related to the election results.

It didn't wear off after a few days or a few weeks. Millions of us have spent the past year coping with PTSD setbacks as a result of the election. In a new Nylon essay titled "What Evan Rachel Wood Learned In The Year Since Trump Was Elected," the actress explains exactly why the past year has been so traumatic for millions.

"Every time someone called me a whore or closed a door in my face, I knew I was alone and that the world was not set up for victims to call out their abusers. I would have to play dead until they didn’t want me anymore and I could find a way out," Wood writes. "I tell you this because this is what half of America is going through right now. Half of America is traumatized and in an abusive relationship with this administration and people (especially women) are so triggered because it’s deja vu."

It's hard to explain or express how it feels to wake up every morning and see a man who brazenly bragged about sexually assaulting women as president. It's painful to understand how and why 63 million people cast their votes for him rather than the candidate with the private email server. And a lot of the time, I don't want to understand. To me, Trump's voters have represented all the people who doubted or bullied me when I told them I'd been raped. I've stubbornly said I don't want to find common ground with them.

But Wood's powerful essay points out that listening and finding common ground is the only way we can move forward. And I'm inclined to listen and take her advice because I know the election hurt her just as much as it hurt me. This hard-to-follow advice is compelling coming from Wood rather than a person who wasn't directly harmed by the election results.

"Violence, abuse, and oppression run rampant in the past of angry violent people. Remember this when you are calling a Trump supporter a fucking idiot and punishing them for being lost," Wood urges readers. "That’s what they are. They are lost. When a child does something bad or wrong, do you make them feel like a fucking idiot for it? Or do you try to guide them in the right direction? Do you get them help? Are you patient? Do you listen?"

She emphasises that she's not excusing "horrible behavior," but we need to try to understand it. "If we could take a step down off of our moral high horses for a moment and listen to each other, we can look deeply into someone and their situation to find out where these ideas and beliefs come from and why," Wood writes. "When you ask the right questions, you realise the 'why' is sometimes more important than the 'do.' The 'why's are what connect us, so ask questions of your enemy.'"

Wood isn't telling us to go out and become best friends with a Trump voter. Rather, she's calling on us to examine how our own behaviour could alienate voters who may genuinely want to understand where we're coming from. Of course, there are the conspiracy theorists who will never, ever listen — but they don't represent all of Trump's voters, many of whom regret casting their votes for the president. Our inclination may be to smirk and say "you got played!" but there's a real opportunity here to understand why they chose Trump, and why they'd change their vote if they could.

I'll be the first to admit that this isn't easy for me, but Wood's essay reminded me that our current social and political climate is far bigger than me. If we want to bring about change, we need to actively engage with the people who put Trump in office, either by voting for him or sitting out the election. As Wood says, compassion is definitely worth a try.

Read Wood's entire essay here.

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We all know we should get a cervical smear every three years but what happens when you open the results letter and it says the smear was abnormal? And that you'll need to come in for a 'colposcopy'? If you're anything like me, you'll immediately eat a jar of peanut butter with your finger and try not to google 'what happens when your vagina drops off'. But don't be like me. Be like the me of the future, who just had a colposcopy and can tell you that – regardless of what people say on Yahoo Answers – it's absolutely fine. It was so fine that I live-blogged the experience for your reading pleasure (hi, Dad).

But before we delve into the depths of my cervix, let's first look at what's actually going on here. An abnormal smear doesn't, in fact, mean your vagina is going to drop off. It also doesn't mean you've got cervical cancer. Statistically, around 5% of smear tests produce abnormal results; given that there are 32.2 million women (and cervixes) living in the UK, that works out at 1.6 million abnormal smears. There were only 3,224 cases of cervical cancer in the most recent statistics, which are from 2014. That's VERY few in comparison.

All an abnormal test means is you've got some cells that could, over time, become problematic. On the other hand, your body's immune system could fight them off. And it's not just cervical cancer they could turn into, either. If you contract human papillomavirus, or HPV (which 80% of the sexually active population will do at some point in their lives), that can cause an abnormal result. Smoking, too. Vaginal inflammation. Other STIs can as well, which is why it's good to get those regular checks done.

A colposcopy, then, is just a more in-depth smear test where they check what sort of abnormal cells are knocking around down there. That's it. Obviously the next stages depend on what sort of cells you've got; they may remove the cells, which requires anaesthetic, or they may – like they did with me – send you away and allow your body's immune system to sort it out. Either way, don't fear the colposcopy. Read the live blog I did (alright, I did it immediately after, rather than during. That would have just been rude), and banish the fear once and for all.

2pm

I am called in to meet the colposcopy team, who wished to remain anonymous. "Oh hello! I like your trousers," says one. I am, admittedly, wearing good trousers.

2.02pm

She tells me to take the trousers off, behind a curtain. I'd recommend wearing a good long jumper so when you take your trousers off you don't feel like Winnie The Pooh.

2.04pm

I am sat down in a big chair covered in white paper towel, and there are stirrups like the ones you see in films when women are giving birth. I've never put my foot in a stirrup, apart from when my boyfriend bought me a horse riding lesson for my 28th birthday and all the other class members were 10 years old. It was embarrassing then, and it's embarrassing now. This is where the long jumper comes in handy, as I can put my feet up in the stirrups and it covers my dignity. "Shuffle down and pull your jumper up," one of them says. There is a screen, and one lady sits and looks at the screen. I ask her if there's anything good on; it's a hilarious joke that gets a strong reception.

2.06pm

I still haven't shuffled down the seat enough. I realise it's because the other woman is sat at the foot of the chair, between my legs, and I don't like the sensation of shuffling my vagina really close to her. Nobody needs that. Nobody asked for that. "I'm sorry," I say. "Don't be sorry," she responds. "People always ask us why we do this job, but we love it don't we?" "Oh yes," her friend replies. "It's a wonderful job." I have to admit they've indeed done a wonderful job of distracting me from the fact that one of them is lubing up a speculum.

2.07pm

A camera inside a speculum covered in lube is put up my vagina. I am looking up at the ceiling, where they have taped a picture of some palm trees, which I feel is a nice touch. I've discussed speculums at length with a lot of friends, and the general consensus is similar to teaching kids to swallow tablets: they've swallowed much larger pieces of food before, so it's all psychological. Speculums are just lubey test tubes. Quite thin. The thought of them is so much worse than the actuality – think of it as a transparent tampon.

2.08pm

The camera takes some pictures. The woman by the screen invites me to have a look at my own cervix. Quite concerned about what's to come, and trying to stay relaxed so as not to tense my vagina and shoot the speculum/camera back out into the other woman's face, I decline.

2.10pm

A lot of looking. They are asking me what I do for a living, and one of their daughters is quite interested in drama school – do I know if Central is a good one? "Oh yes," I say. "A friend went there and had a really good – I'm so sorry, is something going in or coming out?" While I'm talking, there is a sensation that I can't get a handle on at all. To be really clear, it isn't pain. It isn't discomfort, like when your elbow hurts because you slept on it weirdly. It's like I'm maybe having a really bizarre wee, but with none of the bladder being involved. "I'm painting your cervix," she says. Oh, of course.

2.11pm

More chatting, and I really can't get my head around what's going on down there, because I can't really feel anything significant. No cramps. No pain. Just movement. If we're going to be frank, it's like the world's least arousing dildo.

2.13pm

There is some further business which feels like something slimy being taken out of the depths of my vagina. Apparently that's exactly what is happening, as I'm now told that it's over. Done. Colposcopy finished. While getting changed, I'm told to put a massive sanitary pad in my knickers "because of all the dye". When I sit down and am told the more in-depth results, I ask to see my cervix and would recommend you do the same. In one picture, it looks like a pink bowling ball with a tiny white smudge (the abnormality). After the dye, it is entirely black, like it's decided to turn to the dark side, with yellow smudges. Darth Cervix. They're going to let my body attempt to fight it off for a year and if that doesn't work, then I'll get a biopsy. Which I'll also live-blog, obviously.

And that was that. At no point did I want to yell, cry or scream. The trick is to breathe deeply and remember that a speculum is just a lubey test tube, someone painting your cervix feels like you might wee, and that walking around with a dyed black vagina makes you feel oddly powerful. But whatever you do, don't look at internet forums of women discussing their colposcopies. I managed to hold out and then, afterwards, had a look at what I would have read – honestly, it would have worried me. So don't be worried, go in with deep breaths and slay that colposcopy. Oh, and if your specialists have a picture of palm trees on the ceiling, say hi to them from me.

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When French pharmacist Marie Drago was diagnosed with pyoderma gangrenosum and Crohn’s disease after a three-month course of antibiotics, she remembered reading a study about the health benefits of a probiotic diet. She gave it a shot and, after around 10 days, her digestive symptoms were gone. “Everyone is different and something that worked for me doesn’t mean it can work for everyone, but for me the changes were quite dramatic,” Drago explains. “I also found it had a very positive impact on my anxiety.”

A probiotic diet is made up of food and drink containing live microorganisms that are beneficial for the body. Yoghurt is the most well known, packed with friendly bacteria, while kefir, sauerkraut, kimchi and tempeh are all popular. These fermented foods work with the body’s own bacteria and, in some people, have been found to reduce depression, settle digestive health, and even clear the skin.

During her experience, Drago educated herself on the world of probiotics and bacteria. For those of us who didn’t pay attention in science class, this all begins with microbiomes. “Now that DNA sequencing is becoming cheaper, we can really start to explore this world. Think of it as your own personal rainforest: huge, fragile and still being explored. We’re mainly concentrated on the gut microbiome (because it seems to be linked to so many modern plagues like obesity, depression and loads of autoimmune diseases), but the skin microbiome is now coming into focus, too. So on one hand you have this amazing discovery of this brand new microbial world living on/in/with us. On the other hand, we are discovering that antibiotics, pollution and our modern lifestyles might be destroying a very important part of our own ecosystem, with serious consequences.”

So what exactly are the benefits of probiotics in skincare? “Probiotics used in cosmetics tend to come from the lactic acid bacteria family (lactobacillus). They have a soothing effect on the skin, as they seem able to modulate inflammatory response from the skin,” Drago explains. “So they will be good on sensitive skin, or to prevent ageing. It’s all due to the anti-inflammatory effect of probiotics, that seems to reduce inflammation mechanisms triggered by the immune system overreacting. Less inflammation means less skin damage, so in effect preventing skin ageing.”

Do you want to fight against pollution? 🌫 Wash your face with our gentle cleanser and purify your skin with our scrub x mask. The innovative biotic complex contains lactic acid to help smooth the skin and prebiotics to nourish your microbiome.☀️ #skincareroutine #skinmicrobiome #microbiome #gallinee #gallineeskincare #skincare #faceproducts #pollution #backtowork #backtoschool

A post shared by Gallinée (@gallinee_beaute) on Sep 20, 2017 at 9:53am PDT

Keen to bring her personal experience together with her pharmaceutical background, she set out to found a skincare brand that would shine a light on the positive impact of probiotics. A relatively new area of science, Drago’s research didn’t turn up many results, so she decided to work with a French university to do the testing herself. Eventually, Gallinée was born, an edited range of products that bring pre- and post-biotics to your bathroom shelf. But she wanted to take the premise one step further. “For me, after bringing probiotics to your skin, the next priority is to care about the bacteria that’s already on your skin, and help them help you. At Gallinée we do that using prebiotics and post-biotics. The beneficial bacteria on your skin (95% of them) have several roles, that still need to be understood.” For example, Drago says the good bacteria on the skin “contribute to the makeup of the 'acid mantle', the physical layer of protection of the skin. They will also reduce the transepidermal water loss and thus help fight dehydration.”

Like many of the most successful skincare brands right now, Drago decided to launch with a small range of products. “I’m quite a lazy person, and I wanted to create simple products that I would actually use myself.” The brand’s offering, with her patented Triple Biotic Complex running throughout, includes the body milk, a nourishing formula with firming bogbean and hydrating sweet almond; a fast-absorbing shea butter hand cream; a 98% natural and non-drying foaming cleanser; a two-in-one radiance-giving white clay face scrub and mask; and a highly concentrated facial moisturiser, which is packed with 30% active ingredients (most skincare products have between five and 10).

Our verdict? The formulas are perfect for sensitive skin but, during winter, ideal for any skin type. Lightweight (with no greasy residue), the creams curtail excess oil but deliver the hydration hit you need during colder months. What’s brilliant about the range is its ability to tackle more specific skincare issues, too. For those with rosacea, psoriasis, acne or eczema, you’ll see a noticeable difference within a few days. “The more we study these skin conditions, the more we understand they’re caused by a bacterial imbalance, so it makes so much sense for these conditions.” Meanwhile, Drago has her sights set firmly on the future of probiotics to treat acne: “For me, the big U-turn coming soon is going to be how we treat acne. I think in five years no one will use antibacterials anymore, but instead try to grow beneficial bacteria.”

Is a probiotic diet essential when using Gallinée? “I think it’s a nice combination,” says Drago. In fact, she has worked with chef Antonia Magor to create a gift set that includes Magor’s cookbook, comprising 25 pro- and prebiotic recipes, plus a trio of Gallinée products. Having tried out the range ourselves over the course of a week – and seen the results – we’re looking forward to prebiotic skincare becoming a wider-researched and formulated area of the beauty industry. Who knew bacteria in our bathroom would ever be a good thing?

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For a while now we've been told the importance of mindful eating – savouring our food and eating slowly by paying attention to our levels of hunger and fullness. It's been touted as a form of meditation through food that's good for our minds and bodies.

To some, taking time to appreciate how our food tastes, feels and looks may sound as faddy as the rest of what's been marketed as "wellness". But a new study has highlighted the very real health risks of gulping down our food.

Researchers from Hiroshima University in Japan found that fast eaters are more likely to become obese or develop metabolic syndrome, both of which are closely linked to heart disease, diabetes and stroke. For the research, presented at the American Heart Association’s Scientific Sessions 2017 last week, they followed 642 men and 441 women, with an average age of 51.2 years, over five years and classified them as either a slow, normal or fast eater.

Metabolic syndrome is diagnosed when someone shows evidence of three risk factors, which may include abdominal obesity (excess fat around the middle), high fasting blood sugar, high blood pressure, high levels of bad fats (triglycerides) and/or low HDL cholesterol (aka "good cholesterol"), the researchers said.

No participants had metabolic syndrome before the study, but by the end the fast eaters were 11.6% more likely to have developed it than the normal eaters (6.5%) or slow eaters (2.3%). Those who gulped down their food also gained more weight, had higher blood glucose and larger waistlines. Yikes.

"Eating more slowly may be a crucial lifestyle change to help prevent metabolic syndrome," said Takayuki Yamaji, M.D., a cardiologist at Hiroshima University and author of the study. "When people eat fast they tend not to feel full and are more likely to overeat. Eating fast causes bigger glucose fluctuation, which can lead to insulin resistance."

Chewing slowly and more often is the most obvious way to prolong a meal, along with talking between mouthfuls (not during) and not being completely ravenous when you eat. Being distracted during mealtimes – by our phones, the TV, our office computer – also means we can end up paying our food less attention, so perhaps it's time to actually give mindful eating a chance?

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Dressing for Christmas parties can be challenging, even for the sartorially blessed. Whether it’s office drinks, a formal event, or something decidedly more chilled out, finding the right side of smart-casual is a well-honed skill. How do you fulfil a dress code yet still express your idiosyncratic style? For those of us who want to stand out, what are the alternatives to the ubiquitous bodycon, glittering mini dresses and sequins? As the festive season looms, it’s time to opt for fresh, new party-dressing solutions.

Learn, first, to pass off anything that itches, is unflattering in shape or takes festivity too literally. In the end, it all boils down to this: You’re going to be on your feet all night long, air-kissing a lot of people you barely know and scrambling for cocktails (without even mentioning the queue for the loos). What your outfit needs is mileage and glamour in equal measure.

We’ve done the groundwork and created three go-to party looks based on current trends. They're fashion-forward, easy to style and set to go the distance, so all you need is an elegant finishing touch.

Enter Ghost Dream, an ethereal fragrance comprised of rose essential, Moroccan orange flower, Egyptian jasmine and violet. Top notes of rose and aqua flora balance out with a base of woody notes, like ambroxan musks and patchouli, which (just like your new look) say, “Let’s party.” Gift yourself the fragrance a few weeks early and let it power you through the packed calendar. After all, there’s nothing like an alluring new scent to make you feel superhuman. Here are the party looks good enough to match up...

Velvet

MISBHV Fuchsia Velour Button Up Trousers, €275; COS Shirt, £59; Jimmy Choo Lucy Shoes, £995; Whistles Mermaid Medium Clutch Bag, £69.00; Topshop Sequin Hoop Earrings, £12.50.

When the invite ambiguously says “Dress up!” yet time is all but on your side, go wild and combine three of AW17's landmark trends – pink, velvet and sports luxe – into one transitional piece. A wide-leg trouser that boasts all of these qualities will transform workwear into party wear.

Poppers serve as an AW17 update on the wide-leg trouser, allowing a festive flash of skin and a pleasant rippling effect with every stride; the more material and movement, the more glamorous. Velvet is also a foolproof alternative for those who just can’t stand the texture of sequins. Comfortable, flattering in most cases and in keeping with the season, it’s much more accessible. It’s the pink, though, that really makes the trouser pop. Enjoying its second season at the forefront of fashion, it’s the colour jackpot this December. If you don’t like bubblegum hues, opt for a rich yellow topaz colour, instead: just as much allure but with a slightly tamer feel.

The trick now is to let the trousers do the talking. Workwear classics, like a crisp white shirt or simple black silk camisole, will do the trick and a pair of strappy black court heels will maximise the length of the trouser. Go for an embellished pair for a flash of sparkle that'll appear visible only as you walk. Use fun accessories, like disc earrings and a metallic clutch, to tie the pink back in. Makeup-wise, opt for an overall glossy sheen, incorporating soft pinks and nudes on the lips and eyes. Your hair may have taken half an hour to perfect, but a ‘messy bun’ is cool and frivolous. It says “OOO and ready to party” and isn’t that what the festive season is all about, anyway?

Florals

Model wears Etro Velvet Biker Jacket, £2,435; Altuzarra Melia Dress, £2,250; Altuzarra Cosmo Ankle Boots £1,100; Swarovski Hero Ring, £99;Swarovski Hippie choker, £125; Topshop Bag, £26; Topshop Earrings £14.50.

Florals in spring? Groundbreaking. But in winter, genuinely so.

Engage in power play and mix up billowing, feminine, floral gowns with chunky lace-up boots. The aim is to strike the balance between masculine and feminine for a romantic-but-not-overtly-girly aesthetic. This look is easy to nail and a great way to become au fait with layering; a handy tool for chilly evenings.

The key factor to seek out? Dreamy ruffles in darker hues with interesting silhouettes. Look for elements that break up the flow, like a side slit or asymmetric shape. It’s a hybrid that results in a current and effortlessly cool aesthetic. If layering sounds scary, keep it simple and ease in bit-by-bit. Only once you’re happy with the base should you add in extra elements, like a lace bra peeking out at the neckline and layered jewellery. A souped-up velvet jacket is a smart and seasonal way to top it all off; choose a deep burgundy colour to tie in with the florals.

Go one step further and emulate the grungy glamour face-first. A dark kohl eye and undone, natural hair (however yours comes, rock it) will play down the romance of the gown. Big wins go to mini bags, which have stolen the show this winter, meaning travelling light is in; buy yours in metallic shades for a cool reminder of yuletide festivities. The flipside? Limited storage space. Squeeze in the Ghost Dream miniature (available inside the official gift set) alongside your favourite lipstick to equip yourself for the powder room.

Sequins

ASOS Sequin Skirt, £48; Frame Large Cuffed Raglan Sweater, £515; Topshop Ona Boxy Bag, £22; Topshop Earrings, £14.50; Topshop Razzle Glitter Block Heel Sandals, £52; Delfina Delettrez Rings, various.

Nothing spells out party season like sequins, but there is much to be gained by avoiding the obvious (glittering LBDs, we're looking at you). A sequinned midi skirt is opulent, yet with enough room for you to breathe comfortably, hit the dance floor and wrestle for the canapés. Bonus points for delicate trimmings, like gauze and tulle; a new-season update spotted on catwalks across the board, which will bring your sequins out of the noughties and into 2017.

With the centrepiece sorted, it’s time to mix it up. A cosy, marginally oversized jumper will bring festive warmth to your look (and make all the shine less terrifying). Try interesting knits in bright hues, like orange, which enhance all skin tones during the colder months, and match the colour with heavy-duty ear candy. Remember, you want to look effortless, so roll your sleeves up and act as if you’ve just shrugged the jumper on. It’s not hard to get right, but the contrast of dimension and fabric adds up to more than the sum of its parts: it’s clever and undeniably chic, without being try-hard.

Take the relaxed attitude through to the finishing touches. You can chance on a little more sheen now that you’ve balanced out the twinkle, so try silver platforms with an ankle strap for height and definition, and wear them over a fresh pair of shimmery black socks. Smudge on a metallic eye cream, which will glint in the light, but keep your hair natural and free to do as it pleases. A cross-body metallic bag will tie it all together and leave you hands-free; a genuine Christmas miracle.

Ghost Dream is available to buy from boots.com. To find out more about the fragrance go to ghostfragrances.com.

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Trailers for Netflix’s new original film Mudbound played up the unlikely friendship that developed between two World War II veterans. Despite their racial differences, Ronsel Jackson (Jason Mitchell) and Jamie McAllan (Garrett Hedlund), bond over the culture shock that is returning to America’s rural South after several years abroad in the war. The film culminates in a horrific act of violence against Ronsel, who is Black, and the vengeance that Jamie, who is white, seeks on his behalf. But the crucial veins of Mudbound are the perspectives of its two main female characters, who also come from polar opposite racial backgrounds. The differences between Florence Jackson (Mary J. Blige) and Laura McAllan (Carey Mulligan) tell an altogether different story about the Jim Crow South. And unfortunately, it feels vaguely similar to how white women and Black women perceive things today.

Life for Laura isn’t necessarily easy. Born in a time where marriage came with very specific set of instructions on how women should behave and feel, she has found herself in a lacklustre romance with her husband, Henry McAllan (Jason Clarke). When he announces that they’re leaving their home to move onto a muddy farm, she is shocked and disappointed but unable to protest his decision. She is not fond of her new living circumstances, or the fact that Henry’s father Pappy (Jonathan Banks) will be joining them. She is forced into a domestic life that she loves in a place that she hates.

Florence's narrative, on the other hand, starts with terror when her son, Ronsel, is drafted for the war. Her family works hard on the land that Henry owns with dreams of one day owning their own. When Laura enlists her to work for their family, Florence’s husband is struggles with the idea of their family being further in servitude of a white family, even though she’s being paid. As a result of accepting the position she is forced to care for both her family and Laura’s. When Ronsel finally returns from active duty and becomes the victim of an egregious hate crime, Florence has to nurse him back to care. She, like Laura, can envision an aspirational life better than the one she is currently living.

And although Laura has the basic human decency to be compassionate to Florence when she and her family experience hardships, and grateful when Florence’s care heals her and her daughters, the ubiquitous nature of racism means that common ground is only ever figurative for these two women. The systemic racism of their era gives Laura a certain freedom that Florence can never access.

And these are the dynamics that have repeated themselves throughout history. Second wave feminism was a fight to de-centre white women’s issue as the basis for gender equality. The third wave introduced intersectionality as a necessary component of the movement in that fight. And decades later “white feminism” is still at the centre of too many conversations about the oppression and injustices women of colour, specifically Black women, cace. White privilege gives white women a veil of protection to advocate for themselves and others, it gives Black women an additional layer of burdens to bear. Mudbound perfectly captured these dynamics. And it's important for viewers to remember that not every them in this film is a relic from the past. Much of it is our present.

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Let's all raise a toast to London Mayor Sadiq Khan. The capital's world-famous nightlife is about to get even more accessible, thanks to plans to introduce a nighttime service on the Overground for the first time next month.

The 24-hour service will run between Dalston Junction in east London and New Cross Gate, south of the river, on Fridays and Saturdays from 15th December, and there are plans to extend it further north to Highbury & Islington next year, the BBC reported.

When the Night Tube launched in London last summer, it helped night workers, provided a boost to the nighttime economy and made it easier for individuals like us to enjoy the capital's renowned late-night hotspots. About 300,000 journeys are now made on the Night Tube every weekend, so it's fair to say the plan was a success.

Khan said he was "delighted" about the new provisions for east London, adding that the extension of the service – the Overground will be the sixth line to run at night – would "help thousands more who are working through the night or out enjoying our capital's nightlife".

A map of the new service has been revealed, highlighting the east London stations that will benefit. It will link to night services on the Jubilee line at Canada Water but won't link to those on the Victoria line until it's extended to Highbury & Islington next year.

Revealed: Map of new Night Overground shows 24-hour stations - but there is no link to Victoria line Night Tube https://t.co/AqbTY9QnHi pic.twitter.com/ONgavy4Fop

— tweetonlondon (@tweetonlondon) November 20, 2017

It's a fitting time to launch a night service on the Overground, as this year also marks 10 years since the London Overground was founded. The orange line has revolutionised getting around the capital for those who live in Greater London and parts of Hertfordshire.

Not only does the Overground allow you to use your phone as you travel, unlike most of the Tube (still... in 2017), it's often remarked that the people on it – somehow – seem to be better looking, making it a pleasant experience all round.

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I was 15 when Brokeback Mountain, Ang Lee's 2005 film about two cowboys who fall in love against all odds, hit cinemas.

At the time, a mainstream movie about a gay romance, starring two major heartthrob actors, and a pretty explicit sex scene, was big news. Tidbits about the tent scene were passed around in hush tones in high school corridors. Seeing it was a rite of passage that largely depended on how chill your parents were or how skilled you became at sneaking into cinemas.

I would be lying if I said I rushed to see the film for reasons other than my true love for Heath Ledger (RIP), but I very distinctly remember sitting in a cinema with my parents (the chillest) and thinking that this was going to be a Thing. And it was. Ang Lee took home the Oscar for Best Director at the 2006 Academy Awards — though the film itself was snubbed for Best Picture — and Brokeback Mountain entered the still too limited canon of Hollywood films depicting same-sex love.

Call Me By Your Name, which stars Armie Hammer and Timothee Chalamet as Oliver and Elio, two young men who fall in love during a perfect summer in Italy, circa 1983, is poised to do the same — but on very different terms. (Although, I can foresee the peach scene becoming an unmissable high school corridor topic.)

In a way, it's deeply unfair to start a review of Luca Guadagnino's gorgeous film with a Brokeback Mountain reference, because they're really almost nothing alike. Both movies feature a love story between men — and that's about it. But actually, it's those very differences that make them worth considering together.

"When Brokeback Mountai n came out, it was this really inflammatory thing," Hammer told Variety when the film premiered at Sundance earlier this year. "Sociologically, I would hope that we have evolved enough that we can see past that, and see the humanity, the truth that's present in every moment of affection."

The film, based on the 2007 novel by Andre Aciman, is first and foremost a gay coming-of-age tale. In fact, a poster released by Sony UK pairing a shot of Elio and his female friend Marzia (Esther Garrel) with a quote about romance was soundly trashed on Twitter for "straight-washing" what should be an undeniably gay movie. But Call Me By Your Name also goes a step further in breaking the mold of what we've come to expect from films about gay romance, and in that way, transcends its specificity.

To start, there is no antagonist in Call Me By Your Name. I sat through the film lulled by its lush sensuality but also on edge, waiting, at any moment, to be snatched out of my bliss by a derogatory comment, or a crisis brought on by intolerance. Every time Elio and Oliver went out in public, the sexual tension palpable, I was sure disaster was looming.

When I mentioned this to Guadagnino in an interview prior to the film's release this week, he challenged me: “Did you ask yourself why?”

I had. I realised, leaving the cinema, that I had never seen a gay love story that didn't feature some kind of antagonist, the purpose of which is to either hinder the lovers' trajectory, or ultimately tear them apart. Brokeback Mountain, of course, springs to mind, as does A Single Man (2009), and Carol (2015). Even in Moonlight, last years's groundbreaking Best Picture-winner, homosexuality is something that has to be hidden for fear of reprisals from others.

"I think social evolution unfortunately moves at an analogous pace with physical evolution," Hammer said to me, responding to his earlier comments about Brokeback Mountain. " Even if we want it to happen quickly, it doesn’t, but we are evolving. There’s no antagonist in this movie. There’s no one that has to pay for being gay. No one’s family turns on them, no one gets sick, no one gets beat up by a pack of rednecks."

Those kinds of expected tropes are exactly what Guadagnino says he was trying to avoid. "We all strive to make something that wasn’t informed by the rules of the filmmaking game, but more about the exploration of the behaviour between these two people. Every movie is a sort of a heightened replica of another movie," he said. "I don’t want to undermine the real, real lives of people who are oppressed now by homophobia in the world, which is a big issue. I’m from Italy, and it’s a big issue. But I think we have to be very careful as filmmakers, not to internalise that."

In a more traditional narrative, the father figure would play the role of the higher authority who breaks the lovers apart, while the mother would be the figure of acceptance. Once again, not so here. As Professor Perlman, Elio's father and Oliver's mentor, Michael Stuhlbarg is basically the dad everyone wishes they had. His monologue at the end is one of understanding, empathy, and love — not fear.

"I’d hate to think of acceptance as strictly a feminine trait," Stuhlbarg said. "I delighted and revelled in the things I got to say, because I felt that they were things that needed to be heard. He’s a very special father who at the same time offers up information to his son when his son needs to hear it. At the same time, [he] seemed wise enough to keep his distance to let his son go through what he needed to go through, yet remind him at the same time that he was present for him. It was a wonderful balance that I got to ride throughout. I loved what I got to say, and I’m glad it was said — by him."

Taking a step back, however, it would be too easy — and inaccurate — to hail this film as the cure for homophobia. Guadagnino admits that he had very little funding from his native Italy, where the film was shot, because major producers claimed they would never be able to run it on TV. James Woods' recent comments on Twitter, where he pointed out the protagonists' age difference (Elio is 17, Oliver 24) alongside a reference to "NAMBLA" (The North American Man/Boy Love Association, widely believed to endorse pedophilia), proves that we have a long way to go. Even the film's critical appeal can only be viewed to a micro-lens, given that the film world is generally liberal.

Still, the fact that this movie has received so much positive press, fan focus, and attention makes me hopeful. A recent i-D story analysed the overwhelming number of dedicated fan accounts springing up on Tumblr and Twitter, helmed by millennials who have yet to see the movie, but are drawn to its potential. Hot off his success in Lady Bird, Chalamet, 21, now has a literal cult following. (They call him "Sweet Tea.") Finally, and perhaps most revealing of all, 31-year-old Hammer was literally driven off Twitter recently when a clip of his character dancing to Psychedelic Furs' "Love My Way" went viral. When was the last time a celebrity quit social media for something positive? (He's back, as of yesterday.)

And that brings me to another point: 12 years ago, the internet as we know it was in its nascent stages. Facebook — which, ironically, would provide Hammer's big break as the Winklevoss twins in 2010's The Social Network — had just been created. Twitter wouldn't come along until a year later, in 2006. So much is made of the impact of social media for a reason — for all its flaws, it has given a voice to those who have traditionally been silenced.

Like Brokeback Mountain, Call Me By Your Name is a phenomenon. The real difference, I think, is us. We're ready. Ready to be excited, ready to be swept away, and ready, finally, to embrace a gay romance as universal and relatable to all.

"Call Me By Your Name" is out now.

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Sarah Silverman is grappling with a lot of the same questions that many of us are dealing with: can we still appreciate art by an outed abuser? What if an abuser is our friend? How do we move on and reckon with the toxicity that has permeated out culture?

Last week, on her Hulu show I Love You, America, Silverman addressed the allegations against her longtime friend Louis C.K. Speaking poignantly, she appeared saddened while talking about C.K. and how hard it is to answer these painful questions. "It's a real mind-fuck, because I love Louis, but Louis did these things. Both of those statements are true, so I just keep asking myself, 'Can you love someone who did bad things? Can you still love them?"

She also spoke on a panel this weekend for the Vulture Festival, reports Deadline, and delved more into trying to understand C.K.'s motives, and the motives of other abusers noting that sometimes, you simply can't.

"It’s OK to have some kind of empathy or compassion about it. Even if it’s something where we say, ‘You’re going to go to jail’ or ‘This is not acceptable,’ but to kind of try to understand what’s behind bad deeds," said Silverman. "Because people aren’t just bad guys and good guys like in the movies. It’s very nuanced and it’s worth understanding."

The pathology of what creates an abuser is still not known, but when it comes to masturbating in front of someone without consent (the kinds of action that C.K. is accused of, and has admitted to), the Cut talked to a sex therapist, who shed some light on this disturbing behaviour. "Exhibitionists purposefully look to shock their victims because they are angry. They are not looking to make friends or go on a date — these are acts of revenge against women. These men are imposing the body part that is most threatening to a female and in doing so, they are acting out what is called 'sexualised hostility' or 'eroticised rage' against their prey. That look of fear or humiliation on women is arousing to them," explains Alexandra Katehakis.

Understanding that nuance is vital to, hopefully, treating men who abuse and harass women. It comes from somewhere, and this behaviour exists regardless of how nice or feminist the man can appear in public. Silverman appreciates the reckoning we are all dealing with, saying "...that’s why things have to be hard right now, and people should be afraid, and think before they act — that’s a good thing."

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Call it an occupational hazard, but people sure have a lot of opinions about how I behave as a single person. If I'm dating more than one person at a time, then I'm not being fair to them. If I focus on dating only one person at a time, I'm not spreading it around enough. But the number one piece of unsolicited advice I get is that I care too much about dating. When talking with certain people, if I let it slip that finding a partner is a priority to me, they'll tell me I'm trying too hard. "You don't want to seem desperate," they'll say. "Nobody likes a thirsty woman."

But why is being "thirsty" seen as such a bad thing?

"To be ambitious in your work is one thing, but striving to date and find somebody good for you is a problem in our society," says Andrea Bonior, PhD, a psychologist and author. "We glorify romance to some extent, but we also have this idea that you've got to be true to yourself and be fiercely independent," she says. "You shouldn't have to depend on anyone else." The assumption, Dr. Bonior says, is that by searching for love, you're attempting to fill a hole in yourself, which of course isn't always the case. I just want a partner to cuddle with on a Sunday morning — not someone to fill a deep, emotional void or replace some part of me that's missing.

There's also the assumption that to be "thirsty" means to be overtly sexual, says Justine Shuey, PhD, a board certified sexologist and sexuality educator. "Women especially are told that they aren't supposed to be on the hunt of sex," she says. "And if you're in the world, and you're dating, there are assumptions that you're being sexual." That sexual drive can cause people to judge — especially if the belief is that the person who is dating around is also sleeping around. To call a person desperate or thirsty in this situation, Dr. Shuey says, can be a subtle form of slut-shaming.

The big reason, though? We have some pretty crazy views on how love is "supposed" to go. "Finding someone to date is supposed to be this magical thing that just happens," Dr. Bonior says. "You're not supposed to be calculating about it. It's just supposed to happen. So if someone is making love a goal, it goes against our notions of what romance is meant to be like."

But there's absolutely nothing wrong about prioritising the hunt for love. And no one has the right to make you feel bad about that decision. "I'm someone who believes that if you're not involved in what's happening in my life and my bedroom, then it's none of your business," Dr. Shuey says. But if the unsolicited opinions continue to bother you, just remember that your desire for love and a relationship is normal.

People calling me desperate used to be something that really bothered me, but I'm happy and content in my life, and my search for love is just a part of it. If that makes me "thirsty," then so be it — all the more reason to go out for drinks.

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Merrill Markoe is an Emmy award-winning humorist, author, and sometime comedian. She was the original head writer and co-creator of Late Night With David Letterman.

Inside the DNA of the average joke is usually a story about an underdog seeking to level the playing field; someone trying to right a wrong by pointing out the holes in its logic, so everyone stops accepting it and starts making fun of it instead. When you think about it that way, comedy is a woman’s art, ripe territory for people who are 50.8% of the population and somehow still living with minority status.

Which brings us to the irony-laced dilemma that only the women pursuing careers in comedy face: Even though comedy is supposed to be the art form where the outcasts and underdogs go to expose the lies inside of unfairness, women have been regularly expected to overlook the poor treatment we receive, lest we be called humourless and viewed as bad sports. In other words, we’re the one group asked not to use our “minority” status as a way to rise comedically. This is why we’re regularly labeled as unfunny.

Comedy in all of its various mutations has been my home for the past 40 years. Luckily for me, my idea of home has always been a place where I expected to be treated rudely which is why I was not knocked that far off balance when I heard about Louis C.K., whose meteoric rise to success as someone with deep insights into the human condition now seems pretty suspect.

In 1978 when I first went rushing headlong toward the professional comedy lightbulb like a medicated moth, it never occurred to me that it was a male-dominated field, because I didn’t imagine that anyone smart thought laughter had a gender bias. I was aware that historically speaking most of my comedic heroes were men: Ernie Kovacs, W.C. Fields., The Marx Brothers, Monty Python. But also there was George Burns and Gracie Allen. Mae West and Lily Tomlin had their own empires. In the midst of all those guys at the Algonquin Round Table, there sat Dorothy Parker.

And things looked to me like they were really opening up for women in comedy because there was this brand new show called Saturday Night Live, which was introducing more contemporary parody and satire onto the mostly corny TV landscape. Not only were half of the cast members women, there were three female names on the writing staff! That meant a grand total of six women creatives, a big leap forward from the usual token one.

So I got in my car, which had only one functioning door, and drove from my home in San Francisco to Los Angeles with no way of knowing that 23 years later, in 2011, Jane Curtin, one of my favourite Not Ready for Prime Time Players and the one who anchored Weekend Update, would appear on Oprah and say the following about the women on the show’s writing staff back in the beginning: “Their battle was constant. They were working against John [Belushi] who said women are just fundamentally not funny. So you’d go to a table read and if a woman writer had written a piece for John, he would not read it in his full voice. He felt as if it was his duty to sabotage pieces written by women.” I also couldn’t have imagined that even five years after the world began a whole new century, I would pitch a sitcom idea to ABC only to be told “Well, the truth is we aren’t looking for any female character driven shows this season.”

But in the beginning, I didn’t know how heavily things were weighted against women. So just a few years out of art school, I went racing full steam ahead. At 27, I checked into a scary hotel in Burbank where they charged for the room by the hour and began seeking employment as a TV writer and stage time as a stand-up comedian, completely unaware that the very underpinnings of the comedy establishment had been constructed on a foundation designed to work against women from day one. I had no idea that straight through to the end of the 1960s, a mere ten years prior, all the clubs that hired stand-up comedians were owned and run by the mafia — not exactly a group known for its even-handed treatment of women and their career dreams. Says Kliph Nesteroff, comedy historian, “it didn't matter if these clubs were in Cleveland, Portland, Corpus Christi or Baton Rouge — if it was a nightclub — the owners were the Mob. For a good forty years the Mob controlled American show business.” For those who now fret about how comedy club owners and festival directors are misogynistic, imagine waiting around for a guy in the mafia to give you a time slot.

Looking back, I have to laugh at the view I have of myself in my twenties, trotting cheerfully into a mob-run patriarchy where even the women on the most progressive show in television were being shunted to the back of the comedy bus. But the truth is that none of that occurred to me because, okay, I was young and stupid but also: It made no sense. Comedy was one of the things I loved most in the world. I saw it as a tool used by people intelligent enough to have figured out how to elevate the human condition by transforming dark, hidden, appalling truths into something over which we gained power via laughter.

I had yet to learn the most commonly repeated tropes used as an excuse not to hire women, which were the equivalent of the 16th century sink or swim method of identifying a witch. Back then the set of excuses went something like: “Having women in the room makes men feel inhibited. If they can’t swear and talk about their dicks, it gets in the way of being creative and funny.” The newer version of that describes the exact opposite: “Having women in the room causes men to become so hormonally imbalanced that the overwhelming fatigue caused by trying to exercise dick control gets in the way of being creative and funny.”

To which I would say: Hmm. Interesting. Maybe it’s the gender with so many roadblocks to being creative and funny who are bad hires.

Meanwhile, there in the middle of it all, are the women, expected to exhibit both empathy and support, to be accepting and non reactive to a firestorm of freeform sexual innuendo, while also helping construct an invisible barrier capable of helping these poor guys resist their own worst impulses. And at the same time be creative and funny.

Actually, I would argue that this very situation gives women the comedy advantage because there’s no better starting place for joke writing than the awareness that you’ve been trapped in the middle of someone else’s inescapable, neurotic behavioural limitations. Hey comedy! It’s 2017. Don’t keep breaking my heart by allowing yourself to become just another tier in the looming monolith full of dim bulb thinkers who degrade women and stand in their way.

This very situation gives women the comedy advantage because there’s no better starting place for joke writing than the awareness that you’ve been trapped in the middle of someone else’s inescapable, neurotic behavioral limitations.

Okay yes, throughout your history, your most powerful players have overwhelmingly been rage filled, frustrated narcissistic men. But now we’ve got a president for that!

Come on! It’s time to join the modern world. (By which I mean the better one I envision after the Trump administration leaves the building.) And while we’re at it, how about if maybe we can also teach heterosexual men how to play a useful part in the promise of a better humanity. Or at least how to stop acting like assholes.

There are apologies and there will be more. Which brings us to the only one on the list of shamed public men currently under discussion that I know personally: Al Franken, who I’ve always thought of as one of the good guys. The omnipresent and casually demeaning treatment of women appears to be bi-partisan, which I guess is something every woman has always known.

Whether Al or Louis or anyone else has actually learned anything from the women they stunned into submission remains to be seen. A few people try and learn something from big moments like this one. Most do not. Time will tell if the culture of infuriating, insensitive, quasi-legal male behaviour improves because of any of this, or if everything just cycles back to ground zero, as I have seen feminist progress do before. After all, the rest of these guys, (Harvey Weinstein, that creepy Roy Moore, our awful president, Bill Cosby, even Bill Clinton) have continued to call their accusers liars. If there is one thing life has taught me, it’s that there is no hope for redemption if powerful men don’t acknowledge that they did anything wrong.

Meanwhile, the women I know are no longer into holding our breath while we wait. We have had it with this shit. Notice has been served. The answer to these problems seems to be the same one that is being suggested in politics: Women need to run. We need to own the shows. We need to own the clubs. For too long men have been allowed to justify their behaviour by selectively using statistics. For example, the way they claim to be the best most innovative high end chefs, while at the same time being unable to help out in a regular kitchen.

It’s our turn now. Time to relegate men to the minority status they so richly deserve. After all, they are only 49.2% of the population.

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Just in time for the holidays, British Airways announced that it would be implementing a new boarding policy designed to streamline the process of getting settled in before hitting the friendly skies. However, critics were quick to clap back at the "pay more, board first" policy, which allowed first-class passengers to get on the plane first and have the remaining flyers board in groups according to how much they paid for their tickets. The new guidelines go into effect on December 15.

The Independent explained that this particular process isn't uncommon in the United States. American Airlines uses a similar procedure and so does Qatar and Iberia (though it's worth mentioning that they're all British Airways partners). Virgin America follows a similar boarding order and JetBlue introduced the same policy this year, allowing passengers who purchase more expensive seats to board first.

However, it isn't the M.O. in Europe, which may be why many travellers are up in arms. The way they see it, the people relegated to the back of the plane – usually budget flyers with no checked bags – will end up facing full overhead bins and crowded aisles when it's finally their turn to board. And since things never actually follow the rules of common sense, travellers don't see why airlines don't just board planes from back to front.

New @British_Airways boarding policy is daft. Cheapest tickets are hand baggage only, so likely to be carrying most on board? Nice recipe for more chaos as people hunt for space? How about just boarding rear to front? #britishairways

— Neil C Smith (@neilcsmith_net) November 20, 2017

I love how @British_Airways is justifying the change to boarding procedures by naming and shaming every other airline that has the same brown-nose policy. What, rich people can't wait? What year is it again? #BritishAirways pic.twitter.com/lJSVH64HZ6

— Jessica Rees (@JessicalRees) November 20, 2017

"In a society which we're trying to make more equal, British Airways is doing the opposite. It's very Kardashian, being ostentatious about wealth and status," a flyer told The Independent. "Everyone will know how much money you've got based on where you are in the line."

Condé Nast Traveler adds that other customers went so far as saying that they would be boycotting the airline entirely, since it didn't make sense logistically.

British Airways told the BBC that the new rules would speed up boarding, since the guidelines would be easier to understand for customers. The Independent adds that passengers with special needs, groups with young children, and frequent flyers would also get priority seating. Critics of the new system claimed that the boarding was nonsense no matter how airlines set it up. After experiencing group boarding on Iberia, one passenger compared the situation at the gate to Mad Max: Fury Road: Rules are great, but if passengers don't follow them and crowd around the gate no matter what the boarding announcements say, any system will look like chaos and earn the ire of flyers.

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